'This budget could be people-friendly'

A chemical engineer, Romu Malkani feels that the budget is very important as it affects daily life, the rate of inflation, prices of goods, and taxes.

He expects the budget to be people-friendly. He feels that import duties may drop. He is also optimistic that the finance minister will unveil special benefits for the salaried class this time.

Yet, like most Indians he too holds the belief that "the government will keep only half of its the Budget promises and dump the other half."

He says he does keep the Budget in mind when making a major decision: like buying a car or a house. "Dr Manmohan Singh would have been a better finance minister than P Chidambaram, he feels, but is not overly upset with the current finance minister.

Were he to be the nation's finance minister, he would offer special benefits for the salaried people, who have been the favourite milch cows for all finance ministers: especially since the salaried people have no means to be able to save/avoid taxes the way businessmen do.

He says he would also make sure that senior citizens are not taxed, and that the prices of oil are kept low.

-- By A Ganesh Nadar

Budget 2004-05: Complete Coverage

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